The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) has expressed concern over latest population figures which reveal that there are now more over-60s than under-16s for the first time among the UK population. SPUC general secretary Paul Tully commented: "Since 1970 there has been a fall in births of one-third. The promotion of abortion and birth control by both private and public agencies, and with massive public funding, have been a major factor in this. These figures show that the systematic promotion of abortion not only has a devastating impact on the lives of individual mothers and babies, but is indirectly fuelling the growing pressure for euthanasia." He said: "People must take this trend very seriously. The increasing number of retired people relying on a shrinking tax-paying population may damage relations between the generations and lead to pressure for euthanasia. The government recently admitted that that the decline in births may threaten the National Insurance system, but it still actively discourages births. "The shifting age structure of the population shows that abortion is destructive not only of defenceless human life in the womb, but of the family, the economy and social well-being", he concluded.